Food bank is ministry by community, for community

The San Francisco Solano Community Food Bank ministry has helped area residents get through hunger and tough times over the past 20 years.

The food bank gives out groceries to low-income families, seniors and homeless people dealing with crises such as unemployment, illness or divorce. There are more than 300 families from Rancho Santa Margarita, Trabuco Canyon, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Foothill Ranch, Ladera Ranch and Las Flores registered with the food bank, coordinator Alma Helms said. About 70 families show up each week, she said.

"You wouldn't be thinking that's happening in Orange County," said Pat Renga, a Mission Viejo resident who has volunteered at the food bank for the past three years.

Recipients get to pick the items they need rather than receiving a bag of groceries they don't like or to which they might be allergic.

The food bank receives food and financial donations from San Francisco Solano parishioners and the local community, including Serra School, Santa Margarita Catholic High School, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts troops, the local chapter of the National Charity League, restaurants and grocery stores.

Volunteers transport about 1,500 pounds of donated canned food from the church to the food bank on Comercio Avenue each week, said volunteer Trent Ellis of Trabuco Canyon.

"It's really, truly a community effort because we get help not only from our parishioners, but from businesses around the area and supermarkets in the area and even other food banks," Helms said.